Mikel Arteta believes Mesut Ozil’s arrival has raised standards at Arsenal and is convinced they are better placed to challenge for trophies than in previous seasons.

The German, who joined the club in a £42.4million record deal, was outstanding in last night’s 2-0 win over Napoli in the Champions League, scoring the first goal and setting up the second for Olivier Giroud. Ozil appears to have breathed life into Arsene Wenger’s side and Arteta (above, with Ozil) said: “His signing was a great message because everyone was expecting a top player, probably a striker, but we got an amazing player who lifted everyone. It’s not only the players. You can see people are excited to come and watch again and that makes a big difference. When there is a player capable of producing the finish he did against Napoli, you start winning games that maybe you were losing.

“A player like Ozil gives you a step forward quality-wise and gives you another player on the pitch who can decide the game for you.

“He proved again that he is able to do it and that’s always great. The more players you have like that, the better chance you have. He’s a very intelligent player, makes good runs behind the defence and he has pace as well. Is the [Premier League title] race more open this season? I think so. I always said it’s the toughest league to win because you have five or six candidates this year who can win it.

“It’s still very early stages and nobody has really done anything yet but at least we’re looking good, very solid, winning the games and we’ve got a gap to some of the other teams now, while in the last few years it has been the opposite situation, so that’s very positive.”

With Jack Wilshere left on the substitutes’ bench last night until the second half against Napoli and Santi Cazorla still to return from injury, there is little margin for error for the midfielders seeking to keep their places in Wenger’s first-choice XI.

Ozil and Aaron Ramsey were both superb at Emirates Stadium last night, while Arteta, making his first start of the season following his recovery from a thigh injury, performed well alongside Mathieu Flamini in the holding role.

“If you don’t play well for one or two games, then you can be dropped,” added the 31-year-old Spaniard.

“We have players to come back like Santi and Abou Diaby and that’s the way we want it. When it’s really tough, everyone is at 100 per cent and that makes a big difference.”